“Fall Roses”
Heatherwood Fall

The roses are hanging on to their last burst of color. They have provided five months of beautiful enjoyment. It is now time for them to rest. The following is Mary’s perspective:

Fall Roses

As the end of the summer comes, 
one last gasp of velvety red hangs quietly from the stem.

The season of roses gave us color and imagination 
with every gaze of the thirteen rose bushes planted here two years ago.

Some made their way inside, but most lost their petals 
in the summer winds and carpeted the ground with red, pink, yellow, and white.

Now the cold nights are here, and the fall sky grays dully 
during the shortening days.

Here, two red blossoms hang on, sharing their last gasp of fragrant beauty, 
delicate yet defiant of the nature of things.

The uncut rose hips signal a winter nap to get ready for next year’s bloom, 
and their cycle reminds us of the ebb and flow.

Thank you, little roses, for teaching us that the difference 
between the end and the beginning is simply a little time to get ready.

                                                                           Mary Graf, 2020

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